What are we doing in the garden 2024

Thanks @Plantminded . I find that even with the 5 year ducks back one, I have to redo my fence every year, so I've been a bit sceptical about buying the fancier coloured ones

 

I've been chopping Laurel yet again and trimming a few other things in the woodland. I've also been using some brown silicone on gaps opening up in the shed planking. It hadn't been treated for years before we moved here, so many of the planks had dried, shrunk and warped, leaving gaps or a poor fit in the tongue and groove joints.

 

I thought that too @CarolineL but challenged my scepticism and was pleasantly surprised! They are different and better.

 

I have trimmed a bit off my Robinia Twisty Baby. I really wish I had the space to just let it be, but it wants to grow to 5m by 5m. Unfortunately, because its label said 1m by 1m, I planted it too near the house. I feel bad cutting it, though it has never objected and always comes back bushier. I am torn between annual nibbling at the outreach branches or just leaving it alone for 5 yrs and then doing a huge prune of about two-thirds. Both seem to work.

Those are very classy arrangements, @shiney!

 

Opened up an area beneath shrubs, for me to get into. Plus plant bulbs.

 

Planted more than 130 bulbs in the meadow, and did some weeding and watering in a newish mixed border. Looking forward to seeing lots of colour in the spring.

 

Shouldn't have been at home yesterday, but was. It got very, very hot so I sat in the shade and chopped up various bits of stuff for the compost. Cut back the other buddleia branches I hadn't done last week, and used some for completing one of the renovated bird cages. Some pot painting, and general deadheading- especially the sweet peas which I like to do every day or thereabouts to keep them going well. They had a watering too.
Hopefully not be here today, as I'm having another go at what I should have been doing yesterday. If I'm home early enough, and can be bothered, I might tidy up some of the boundary, and fill a container with stuff from the compost bin, ready for moving a couple of things.

@CarolineL - I also find I have to reapply paint, but I also found that if I could pick a time when there was going to be reliably dry weather for a couple of days, the Ducksback stuff worked better. I think it needs time, and to be really dry enough, for it to 'set' properly. That can be tricky, but it seemed to be far better when I did that.

That should be nice @Liriodendron

 

I planted out two gooseberry bushes that I got when low branches of another bush dragged on the ground and rooted themselves. They are too small to produce anything next year - but maybe in 2026. If they don't survive, I've got two more in pots.

 

You need to follow the manufacturer's instructions closely with garden paint @CarolineL. The temperature, drying time for reapplication and number of coats required need to be followed carefully. After a couple of days the paint will have cured to a hard shell. Worth it if you have the patience .

 

Oh I try to follow the instructions @Plantminded - but where I live opportunity for the paint to dry is limited! And I have such a lot of fence to paint. I have been doing a lot of interior painting recently and found that the reapplication time is specified as far too short because the incessant high humidity gives little chance for the coats to cure

 

A little trimming, weeding and making weed tea fertilizer today. A lovely warm sunny day. A few more of these in July and August would have been nice.

 

Harvested the last of the pea beans. Thought that I was just picking the ones for the seeds for next year but found so many green ones that we will have enough for 2 meals for 2 as well as loads of seeds for next year. Pulled up a pak choi which became 3! Removed 1 green caterpillar (large white) and 3 very hairy brown caterpillars and one slug. Will cook (not the caterpillars) and keep most in the freezer for the winter. "Found" 1 courgette.